The "Previous" Earthquake
According to
Erickson-Gini (2014), there is substantial evidence from the
Roman/ Byzantine residential
quarter in Avdat that shows that a massive earthquake struck in the
early 5th century CE
(
Erickson-Gini 2010a:91–93).
All structures east of the town wall were subsequently
abandoned and quarried for reuse in the construction of the
later Byzantine settlement. In the aftermath of this event,
massive
revetment walls
were constructed along the southern side of the
acropolis
to stabilize heavily damaged masonry. In contrast, the late
Byzantine
citadel
adjoining the
temenos
was built without such reinforcement, indicating that it was
constructed after the earthquake.
Erickson-Gini further observed that two churches within the
temenos were built using a large number of early Roman
ashlars
and architectural elements that had originally belonged to the
Obodas Temple, which was itself heavily damaged in the same
event (Erickson-Gini 2014).
Numismatic and ceramic evidence from this destruction layer
indicates that the dwellings in the late Roman and early
Byzantine residential quarter were destroyed several decades
after the 363 CE earthquake in the late 4th/early 5th century CE
(
Erickson-Gini in Stern et al. 2008:1984–1985).
Following this second event, the area was abandoned and many
stones were robbed for reuse.
Additional archaeoseismic evidence was documented in Area A of
the Roman–Byzantine Quarter, where
Erickson-Gini (2022) reported fallen floor slabs—likely
from an upper storey—and collapsed arches attributable to the
same early 5th-century event. In the so-called
“Dipinti cave”
on the southern slope of the acropolis (Area D), a
niche
that originally functioned as a window was sealed and reinforced—likely
in response to earthquake damage
(
Erickson-Gini 2022).
Further supporting evidence comes from
Zion et al. (2022:30), who documented the destruction of
quarters housing Roman soldiers east of and adjacent to the
acropolis during the same seismic event.
Erickson-Gini et al. (2026:7-22) also attributed the collapse of Wall 53 in Room 20 of the
Roman/ Byzantine Residential Quarter to this "late 4th/early 5th" century CE earthquake.
While
Erickson-Gini et al. (2026:7-22) noted that the precise date of this earthquake is unknown, it is possible
that the damage was caused by the
419 CE Monaxius and Plinta earthquake.
Negev (1989), whose chronology has been significantly revised, argued at the time for a broader time window that
could extend into the late 5th century CE, suggesting that the hypothesized
~500 CE Negev Quake
may have also contributed to the observed
destruction. Negev (1989) dated the causative earthquake to between
"the end of the third century A.D., when the latest building
in this quarter was constructed, and A.D. 541, when the
Martyrium of St. Theodore was already being used as a burial ground."
Negev (1989) also described the archaeoseismic evidence.
The entire length of the old southern
Nabataean retaining wall at Oboda was displaced outward and had
to be buttressed by a heavy slanting support wall. Severe
damage also affected a massive Nabataean-period tower—likely
the temple of Obodas—which had been incorporated into the
citadel on the eastern half of the acropolis. The western and
southern walls of this structure were particularly affected,
requiring the construction of heavy
taluses that blocked the original southern entrance and butressed the structure. Against this
support the South Church was later built. Similar destruction
was observed in adjacent buildings of the so-called Roman
Quarter.
Left - Fig. 38